Matrix 5 PRIMARY TUTORIALS

Matrix Art: Using a Bitmap: Page 1

Matrix Art: Using a Bitmap hand side of the screen. Select the rectangle and
Use the “Bitmap Demo” file found in your C: Drive > DGMatrix53 input it into the Curves menu found in the first screen
> Demos > Intro to Matrix 5 folder to create the scroll mesh of the builder. The only layer is Creation yellow, so it
surface. Experiment with the Bitmap Effects scale, offset, will automatically be active (selected in pink) in the
rotate, tile, blur, and contrast to get the look you want for the Layers interface.
mesh. Then, for “Extra Credit”, try applying this bitmap to the
side of a ring using the Utilities command ApplyMeshUVN.

Primary-Level Skills Render of Finished Model

Rectangle Scale 1D
Matrix Art Adding a Bitmap: When you’re only inputting one
Apply Mesh UVN
curve into Matrix Art¸the layer color you choose
Gem Loader doesn’t matter. If, however, you’re planning on adding
more curves later – and as you get more advanced –
Ring Rail you will need to remember to place the bitmap on the
lowest layer color you can, so it is good to get into the
Signet Ring
habit of making the curve that will take the bitmap in
Bezel Builder Matrix Art on the lowest Creation yellow layer color.

Extract
Isocurve 3 With the layer color selected in the Layers
interface in Matrix Art, click on the Load Profile
button and select a profile shape from the Matrix
Library Browser that appears at the bottom of the
1 Select the Rectangle tool from the Curve screen.
flyout menu and draw a rectangle about 25 mm H X 30
mm W in the viewports.

About the size of this curve: Keep in mind what size

bitmap you are using when you’re drawing this curve.
If the bitmap you are using is at a fairly low resolution,
make this curve smaller. Otherwise, when the bitmap Then, choose a base height for the mesh using the
is applied to the curve, the pixels in the image will be Surface Height interactive slider.
visible, making the mesh appear choppy and
unrealistic. If you are working with a small picture but
you need the model to be rather large, the best thing
to do is to start with a small curve, get the mesh
looking just the way you want it in relationship to the
smaller size, and then use 2D Scale on the finished
mesh to size it up to the desired scale. The mesh will
retain its detail – only, it will grow – yielding the About Surface Height: Keep in mind that the lowest
desired effect. part of the bitmap will start at this height and the
Bitmap height slider found in the Picture menu in
Matrix Art will define the highest part of the surface.
2 Click on the Art menu found in the Matrix Main
Menu to open the Matrix Art interface on the right-
Matrix 5 PRIMARY TUTORIALS
Matrix Art: Using a Bitmap: Page 2

4 Now, click on the Picture mode at the top of the 6 If necessary, use the Offset X and Offset Y
Matrix Art interface to work in this part of the menu. interactive controls to center the bitmap image on the
Click on the Load Bitmap button to place a bitmap mesh.
onto the part of the mesh surface indicated in the
Current Layer indicator. At the Open Windows dialog
box that appears, navigate to the bitmap to open by
going to the C: drive > DGMatrix53 > Demos > Intro to
Matrix 5 > BitmapDemo.bmp. Double-click on this file
to load it onto the surface. When the bitmap has been
loaded onto the surface, it will also be visible in the
preview window beside the Load Bitmap button.

7 To practice using the other controls on this

About Current Layer: It is VERY important to take screen, try adjusting the Rotation slider (Offset X & Y
note of which layer is displayed in the Current Layer will need to be used again to re-center the bitmap,
indicator in this menu. When multiple curves have since the “Center of rotation” is always the lower left-
been input into Matrix Art, the color indicated here hand corner of the curve.)
must be the color to which you wish to apply the
bitmap. If it is not, you must go back to the Layers
part of the menu and select the correct color onto
which the bitmap will be added. Otherwise, the
bitmap will appear on the incorrect layer.

5 At this time, the image might not appear on the

surface, since it will be much bigger than the curve it
was meant to fill. Use the Size Width or Height
interactive controls to size the picture down. If you do Then, try turning on the Tile option and sizing the
not wish to skew the image as you size down the bitmap way down with the Size Width or Height
height and width, make certain the Maintain Aspect sliders to see the Tiled pattern. Congratulations…
Ratio indicator light is turned on, and the Width and Wallpaper!
Height will automatically scale together. If you wish
to “squish” the image, turn this off and go crazy.

8 Once you’re done marveling at all Matrix Art can

do, set all the controls back to about where they were
in step 6, above. Now, use the Trim to Bitmap option
to trim out the background of the image, leaving just
Matrix 5 PRIMARY TUTORIALS
Matrix Art: Using a Bitmap: Page 3

the scroll onscreen. Make sure you use Trim to cast, and polished, and keep in mind that you don’t
Bitmap after all other settings are correct (rotate, want to lose the detail in the process.
scale, offset, tile, etc.). This is because applying them
after using Trim will cut off part of the bitmap. If you Left: Larger value for Bitmap Height (1.32 mm); Right:
must go back and adjust things about the bitmap after Lower value for Bitmap Height (- 0.32 mm)
using Trim, toggle this button back OFF, change other
options, and then toggle the command back ON to
trim the bitmap again.

For this demo, we set the height to about 1 mm.

Preparing the Bitmap for Trim to Bitmap Option: A

quick way to trim out the unwanted portions of the
bitmap is to prepare the bitmap ahead of time in a 2-D 10 Another basic effect is also found in the Picture
editing program so that the Trim to Bitmap command menu: Invert. You’ll recall that Matrix Art works by
in Matrix Art can be used. Using a simple 2-D editing making a “topographical map” out of the bitmap, so
program such as Gemvision’s Digital Goldsmith or that the darker colors in the bitmap become the lower
Adobe Photoshop Elements, trace around only the parts of the mesh (“valleys”, if you will), and the
part of the bitmap that you want to appear as the lighter colors in the bitmap become the higher parts
mesh. Then, cut and paste this onto a pure black of the mesh (“hills”). The first way to change the look
(0,0,0) background, as in this example. of the bitmap is to reverse (or, “Invert”) the dark and
light parts of the bitmap, thereby reversing the high
After using Trim to Bitmap, everything in the bitmap and low parts of the mesh. Click on Invert Bitmap to
that is pure black (0,0,0) will be deleted by Matrix Art, see the effects.
leaving only the image that you want as the mesh.
Beware, though: if your original image is very Before Invert: After Invert:
dark, some parts of it may be the 0,0,0 black value,
and these will be deleted as well, leaving holes in
your mesh surface! To avoid this problem, use the 2-
D bitmap editing program that you used to trace out
the original bitmap and, before pasting it onto a black
background, Lighten the image overall.

9 Now let’s play with perfecting the look of this

11 If you don’t like it, you can switch it back for
image. The first tool to use is found in the Picture
now… cause there are a lot more effects to try out!
screen. It’s the Bitmap Height interactive control.
Click on the Effects mode at the top of the screen to
This setting controls the height of the bitmap over and
see.
above the mesh surface already indicated. Setting
this to a negative value causes the bitmap to be
carved into the mesh, rather than raised up out of it.
Some interesting effects can be created by setting
this low: just remember that it still needs to be milled,
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Matrix Art: Using a Bitmap: Page 4

Low End raised up: High End lowered:

The first and easiest one we’ll try out is Blur.

Compare Low, Medium, and High blur settings to see
which one you like best for this particular model:

No Blur: Low Blur:

Both Ends moved towards center:

Medium Blur: High Blur:

To get a stylistically-different mesh than the one used

in this design, try out more drasting settings. In this
example, High End was lowered to about 74 to
smooth out the base of the scroll:

For this example, the Low Blur setting was used.

12 The last setting to look at before making the

mesh is the Bitmap Attributes setting. Choose a
contrast setting – either low, high, or both ends – and
click and drag the slider to see the effects. Adjusting
contrast averages the light- and dark- colors in the
bitmap, moving them closer together, or, toward gray.
13 With all the preview settings just the way you
This means that, when Low is selected, the dark want them for the final mesh, it’s time to click on
colors are lightened, which pulls the “valleys” in the Create Mesh. Before you do, though, decide whether
bitmap up so they are flat. When High is selected, the
or not you want this model Capped. Use the Cap
light colors are darkened, which pulls the
Mesh option to place a flat back on the model. This is
“mountains” in your bitmap down so they are flat.
imperative if you are going to mill the model as-is, but
With “Both Ends” selected, both of the above
it is not as important if you are going to add the mesh
functions happen at the same time, pulling both the
to an existing model or fashion a back for it as in the
low and high points in the mesh toward zero – or, flat.
case of a coin, etc.
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Matrix Art: Using a Bitmap: Page 5

Bottom of capped mesh (left) vs. uncapped (right):

16 Next, open up the Signet Ring Builder > 2-

Shape and select the Square profile shape for both
Changing the work you’ve done in Matrix Art: Keep the Top and Middle profiles. Use the Top Width and
Matrix Art open until you’re certain you’re happy with Length sliders to make the top of the ring 14 X 12 mm.
the resulting mesh surface! If you wish to make The Middle Width is 5 mm, Top Thickness is 5.5mm,
changes, keep in mind that, when the mesh surface and Shank Thickness is 2 mm. Deselect the 4 Edge
appears on-screen, the preview mesh disappears. To Profile option.
bring back the preview mesh and continue making
changes in Matrix Art, click on the preview mesh
display icon found in Matrix Art, which will turn the
preview mesh back on.

Beware, though: if you don’t move or delete the first

mesh you made, the new one will appear in the same
location when Create Mesh is used again.

14 **EXTRA CREDIT!!** If you’re feeling brave, let’s

try applying your mesh to a model. Job Bag this

beauty and open up Gem Loader builder. Select

a large 8 X 10 mm Emerald Cut stone and place it in
the viewports at F4.
17 Select a new active layer color (Heads purple).

Click on the gem and input it into Bezel Builder.

15 Then, from the Tools menu, use the Ring
Select one of the “stair step” profiles (01 used, here)
Rail tool to place a Size 7 rail in the viewports at F4.
and create a short (0.9 mm), squat bezel that adds a
Select the gem in the Through Finger viewport and
“lip” around the edge of the gem. Make it wide
drag it straight up above the rail, leaving several
enough to meet the edge of the signet ring (1.5 mm
millimeters between the culet and the finger.
top thickness & 20-degree wide taper at bottom of
bezel).
Matrix 5 PRIMARY TUTORIALS
Matrix Art: Using a Bitmap: Page 6

and try the Split again. You will need a single surface,
NOT a polysurface, to run the next step!!)

20 Before you can run Apply Mesh UVN, select the

surface and type the “ShrinkTrimmedSrf” command
into the Command line. Now, after a little
experimentation, I know you’ll most likely need to
select your mesh in the Looking Down viewport and
rotate it 90-degrees, pointing “East”, and Mirror it in
the Through Finger viewport, so the back is up.

Finally, use 1D Scale from F4 in the Through

Finger viewport to shrink the mesh down a little so it
is not as tall: About .5 mm. Yours might need a little
18 To get the mesh onto the side of the signet ring, more (or less!) finagling than this to work properly
with the Apply Mesh UVN tool.
start by using the Extract Isocurve command.
Create an isocurve up-and-down along left-hand side Now, select the mirrored, rotated version and click on
of the ring, ever-so-slightly wrapped around to the
front. Mirror this to the other side of the ring. the Apply Mesh UVN command found in the
Utilities fly-out menu. The surface to apply it to is the
newly split-away one (in dark blue, above).

Join the ring together, Mirror the mesh to the other

19 Explode the ring’s surface to separate this side, and finish off the design by using the Gem
Cutter to create an azure for the gem through the
surface from the remainder of the model. Split signet ring. If necessary, make sure the bezel is sunk
the surface with these two curves, leaving one new into the signet ring and Boolean Union the two
surface where the mesh will be placed: together.

(Note: If the Split causes more than one resulting

surface, it means the Seam Point of the profile that
makes up the signet ring is in between the two
curves. Mirror the curves to the other side of the ring